Sample Client · Fat Loss & Recomposition
Custom Protocol · Day One
Built around your life.
— K. Lepley, Coach
lepleynutrition.com
01 / Welcome · Read First
A short, honest read.
Alex — I built this around what you actually told me, not a generic template. Before you flip past this page, there's one thing I want you to hear.
Your form told me something important: you're not eating enough. You're 5'4", 112 lbs, walking 15–20k steps on work days, lifting three times a week, and eating 1–2 meals a day. You've been chronically underfueled. That's why you're always tired, why you crash, and why your body hasn't been building the muscle you're working for.
Here's the good news: that means the lever is simple. We don't have to take anything away. We have to add. Add structure, add meals, add fuel — and your body will respond fast because it's been waiting.
Everything in this document is engineered for one job: make eating enough feel automatic. Not aggressive in the sense of restriction. Aggressive in the sense of showing up consistently.
02 / Daily Targets · Foundation
Every day, for the next 14 days.
One target. No work-day vs. rest-day math yet — that comes after we see how your body responds. Hit this consistently and we'll have data to adjust.
| Macro | Daily | Calories | % of Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 115g | 460 kcal | 23% |
| Carbs | 260g | 1,040 kcal | 52% |
| Fat | 55g | 495 kcal | 25% |
| Total | — | ≈ 2,000 kcal | 100% |
Your maintenance is around 1,800–1,900 kcal on an average day. 2,000 puts you in a small surplus — enough to build muscle, not enough to gain fat. We're aiming for 0.25 lb per week. Slow on purpose. Fast gain isn't lean gain.
03 / Daily Rhythm · When to Eat
Built around morning lifts and 4–11pm shifts.
Your schedule has a clear shape: morning workout, mid-day food at home, late-afternoon shift, late dinner. The plan follows that shape.
| When | What | Target |
|---|---|---|
| 6:30–7:30 AM | Pre-lift fuel (if AM training) | ~150 kcal, carb-based, light |
| 8:30–9:30 AM | Breakfast — main meal #1, post-workout | ~450 kcal |
| 12:30–1:30 PM | Lunch — main meal #2 | ~500 kcal |
| 3:00–3:30 PM | Pre-shift dinner — main meal #3 | ~600 kcal |
| 6:30–7:00 PM | Snack #1 at work (fridge) | ~250 kcal |
| 9:00–10:00 PM | Snack #2 at work (hand food) | ~200 kcal |
Off days (no work, no training): Drop snack #2. Stay above 1,800 kcal — don't shrink to 1,500 just because the day is quieter.
04 / The Blueprint · Breakfast
Pick any one. Rotate so you don't get bored. All four are post-workout. All hit ~450 kcal, ~25g protein. Two require zero cooking.
B / 01
Sourdough Egg Stack
Sauté veg first while eggs cook. Toast bread. Plate everything together.
B / 02
Mango–Banana Power Smoothie + Toast
Blend smoothie. Toast. Sip on the drive in. Easiest morning option.
B / 03
Yogurt Berry Bowl + Sourdough
Layer in a bowl. Done. Use this on lazy mornings — zero cooking required.
B / 04
Egg + Veg Wrap
Roll tight. Easy to eat one-handed. Travels well if you're rushing out.
05 / The Blueprint · Lunch
Eaten at home, around noon. ~500 kcal target, ~30g protein. All four reheat well if you batch.
L / 01
Salmon Rice Bowl
Bake salmon at 400°F for 12 minutes while rice and veg cook. Plate hot.
L / 02
Chicken Spaghetti
Make 4 servings at once on Sunday. Reheat in microwave. This is your repeatable bedrock meal.
L / 03
Beef Burrito Bowl
Brown beef while rice cooks. Layer in a bowl. Skip cheese and sour cream to stay on target.
L / 04
Grocery-Store Sushi Plate
Skip mayo-heavy rolls (Philadelphia, dynamite). Your "I literally don't want to cook today" lunch.
06 / The Blueprint · Pre-Shift Dinner
Eaten at 3pm, before the work shift. ~600 kcal target, ~38g protein. Don't push dinner to 11 PM — you'll bloat and sleep worse.
D / 01
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Bake meatballs 12 min while pasta cooks. Comfort-food version of hitting your macros.
D / 02
Korean Beef Bowl
Marinate beef 20 min while rice cooks. Sear hot and fast. Your KBBQ craving handled at home.
D / 03
Salmon, Rice & Roasted Veg
Sheet-pan everything. Salmon and veg both roast at 400°F for 12–15 min. One pan, minimal cleanup.
D / 04
Roast Chicken + Mashed Potatoes
Use grocery-store rotisserie chicken to skip cooking. Mashed potatoes from scratch take 8 minutes.
07 / The Blueprint · Work-Shift Snacks
Pack the night before. No decisions on the floor. Fridge + microwave access at work. Two snacks to bridge from 3 PM dinner through 11 PM.
S / 01
Greek Yogurt Honey Bowl
Highest-protein, lowest-fat option. Use when you've already eaten heavier meals.
S / 02
Sourdough + Banana + Almond Butter
Pack toast and banana separately, assemble at work. No fork needed.
S / 03
Edamame + Rice Cakes
Savory snack when you don't want anything sweet. Edamame holds the protein.
S / 04
Hard-Boiled Eggs + Apple + Almonds
Pure grab-and-go. Stash a baggie of almonds in your work bag at all times.
08 / Training Fuel · Pre + Post
Morning training rules.
You don't need a heavy meal. You need fast carbs + a little protein to give your muscles something to work with. Pick one:
If you train fasted (no food before), that's fine — just don't skip post-workout breakfast. Your body has been running on empty all night.
This is breakfast. Protein + carbs are non-negotiable here. Any of the four breakfasts (B/01–B/04) work. The smoothie (B/02) is the fastest if you train hard and need to refuel before you crash.
Aim for ~80 oz water/day, more on work days. You're on your feet for a 7-hour shift — you're sweating more than you think. Carry a 32 oz bottle, drink one before work, one during, one after.
One Bloom every other day is fine — it's clean caffeine, low sugar. Don't stack it with another energy drink. If you're tired all the time, the answer isn't more caffeine, it's more food and more sleep. We'll watch this together.
09 / Emergency Menu · For Lazy Days
Five-minute meals. Zero excuses. The thing that would make you quit is being too lazy to make food. So this is the most important page in the document. Read it twice.
Buy these every grocery run. They are your insurance against skipped meals.
| What | How | ~kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Yogurt + granola + frozen berries | Scoop yogurt in bowl, add toppings, eat. | 440 |
| Smoothie + sourdough toast | Frozen banana + mango + soy milk + protein scoop. Blend. Toast bread. | 470 |
| Microwave rice + rotisserie chicken + soy sauce | Heat 90s rice, shred chicken on top, splash soy. | 520 |
| Grocery sushi + edamame | Open box. Microwave edamame 3 min. | 510 |
| Tuna sourdough + apple | Tuna packet on toast with mustard, apple on side. | 460 |
The rule: if you are about to skip a meal, eat one of these instead. A 90% solution that you actually eat beats a 100% solution that goes uncooked.
10 / Restaurant Playbook · Eat Out, Stay on Track
For the places you actually go. All designed to land in the 500–650 kcal range with decent protein. Bookmark this page on your phone.
Kabuki
Order: Salmon Teriyaki + steamed white rice + side salad with ginger dressing on the side. Skip tempura.
Salmon hits your protein. Rice fuels training. Dressing on the side controls fat.
Skip — Tempura · Creamy Rolls · Sake Bombs
Korean BBQ
Order: Bulgogi (lean) or galbi — about 4 oz cooked. 1 cup white rice. Cucumber kimchi, bean sprouts, spinach panchan. Skip the fried tofu and pancakes.
KBBQ is naturally high-protein. The trap is the fried sides and excess fat from skin-on cuts. Stick to lean cuts and you're fine.
Skip — Pork belly volume · Fried pancakes · Unlimited rice refills
Yard House
Order: Hawaiian Poke Stack (no fried wontons), or Grilled Salmon + jasmine rice + steamed broccoli.
Both clear 30g protein with controlled fat.
Skip — Truffle Fries · Short Rib Grilled Cheese
In-N-Out
Order: Hamburger (no spread) + small fries. Or Double-Double Protein Style (no bun) + small fries.
No-spread cuts ~80 kcal. Single hamburger keeps fat moderate. Skip cheese and the shake.
Skip — Animal Style · Shakes · Double with Spread
McDonald's
Order (breakfast): Egg McMuffin + side of apple slices. Order (lunch): McChicken (no mayo) + small fries + Diet Coke.
Egg McMuffin is one of the highest-protein-per-calorie fast food items. Mayo cut on McChicken saves ~120 kcal.
Skip — Big Macs · McGriddles · Large Fries
Wendy's
Order: Grilled Chicken Sandwich + small chili + apple slices. Water or Diet.
One of the cleanest fast-food combos that exists. ~520 kcal, ~40g protein.
Skip — Baconators · Frostys · Spicy Chicken (breaded)
Panda Express
Order: Bowl — half white rice, half mixed veggies. One entrée: Black Pepper Angus Steak, String Bean Chicken Breast, or Honey Sesame Chicken Breast.
Mixed veggies as half your base saves ~250 kcal vs all rice. The three entrees above are leanest.
Skip — Orange Chicken · Beijing Beef · Kung Pao
Subway
Order: 6-inch turkey or rotisserie chicken on 9-grain wheat. All the veggies. Mustard or sweet onion sauce. Add yogurt cup or apple slices.
Cleanest fast-food sandwich available. ~480 kcal with sides.
Skip — Meatball Sub · Steak & Cheese · Mayo-based sauces
11 / Drinks & Boba · Hidden Calories
The biggest unseen lever in your day. Two of your usual drinks are quietly costing 400+ calories of pure sugar. Two are fine. Here's how to handle each.
| Drink | Verdict | Swap / Adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Mango iced jasmine + popping boba | Limit | Order at 50% sugar (still sweet, saves ~150 kcal). Cap at 2x/week. Pair with a protein snack. |
| Minute Maid juices | Replace | Swap for unsweetened iced tea, sparkling water, or one small juice 1x/week as a treat. |
| Arizona teas (regular) | Replace | ~250 kcal per can of pure sugar. Switch to unsweetened or zero-sugar tea brands. |
| Soda (regular) | Replace | Diet/Zero or sparkling water with lime. Same fizz, no sugar crash. |
| Bloom energy drink | Keep — capped | 1 per day max. Already low-sugar and clean caffeine. Don't stack with another energy drink. |
| Water | Increase | ~80 oz/day. More on work days. Carry a 32 oz bottle. |
If you currently drink 1 boba + 1 Arizona + 1 Minute Maid in a day, that's roughly 800–900 calories of sugar. Almost half your daily target — gone, with zero protein and zero satiety. Cleaning this up alone could be the difference between building muscle and building nothing for the next 8 weeks.
The boba isn't banned. It's a treat. Half-sugar, twice a week, with food. You don't have to give up things you love — you just have to stop drinking 4 of them in one day.
12 / Swaps · Substitution Guide
If a meal calls for chicken and you have salmon, swap. The macros stay close enough. Use this table to keep yourself flexible.
| 4 oz chicken breast | = | 4 oz lean beef, 5 oz salmon, 6 oz shrimp, 5 oz tofu, 1 cup Greek yogurt + 2 eggs |
| 2 whole eggs + 1 white | = | ¾ cup Greek yogurt, 1 scoop protein powder, 3 oz turkey, 1 cup edamame |
| 5 oz salmon | = | 5 oz tuna (fresh or canned), 5 oz cod, 4 oz lean beef |
| 1 cup cooked rice | = | 1.5 cups pasta, 2 slices sourdough, 1 large potato, 2 small tortillas |
| 2 slices sourdough | = | 1 bagel, 1 large pita, 1 cup oatmeal, 1.5 cups rice |
| 1 medium banana | = | 1 small apple, 1 cup berries, 1 cup mango, 2 small oranges |
| ¼ avocado | = | 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp almond/peanut butter, 12 almonds, 1 tbsp seeds |
| 1 tbsp olive oil | = | 1 tbsp butter (if tolerated), 1 tbsp tahini, ½ avocado, 14 walnuts |
All non-starchy vegetables are basically interchangeable. Spinach, zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms, cucumbers, lettuce, broccoli, asparagus — pick whatever's in the fridge. Aim for at least 2 fistfuls per day.
13 / Grocery List · Vons · Walmart · Staters
Buy this once a week. You're set for 7 days. Built to cover all four breakfast/lunch/dinner/snack options. Cross off what you already have. Stick to the perimeter first (proteins, produce, dairy), then hit pantry.
Cost tip. Walmart is cheapest. Vons is mid. Stater Bros is mid-cheap. Rotisserie chicken at Vons is ~$8 and saves you 5 hours of cooking — buy it. Frozen salmon < fresh, store-brand pasta < name-brand, eggs are still the cheapest protein on earth.
14 / Tracking · Progress Framework
So we know what's working.
| Week | Expected Change | Watch For |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1–2 | Weight may bump 1–3 lbs (water + food in system, normal). Energy starts climbing. | Bloating from sudden volume increase — eat slowly, chew well. |
| Week 3–4 | Weight up ~0.5 lb/week. Strength climbing. Less fatigue. | If weight not moving, we add ~150 kcal. If moving too fast, we trim ~100. |
| Week 5–8 | Steady ~0.25 lb/week gain. Body comp shifts visible in photos. Glutes filling. | Plateau is normal — that's our second macro adjustment. |
15 / Final Word · From Your Coach
A note before you start.
Alex — you came in with a clear goal, a real schedule, and an honest intake form. You told me exactly what trips you up, exactly where you eat, and exactly what you love. That's all this process needs.
The plan is engineered to be sustainable. There's nothing in here you can't access at Vons or Walmart. Nothing requires more than 25 minutes. The restaurants you already love are all green-lit. The boba is allowed. The cravings have a place.
The only thing this plan needs from you is showing up to eat.
If a day goes sideways — you skip a meal, you drink three bobas, you eat McDonald's twice — don't restart Monday. Restart at the next meal. Perfect weeks aren't the goal. Consistent weeks are.
That's it. Three things. We'll add layers when those are automatic.
Build the body you want. The plan handles the math. You just have to show up to the meal.